From Millennial shoppers who are rediscovering their favorite brands to stores that shuttered and are leveling up their potential, legacy retail brands are back in a powerful way. 

Companies with strong followings understand the combined power of nostalgia and high-quality products, and they are reeling customers in at record rates. But it’s not just Millennial shoppers who are delving in. Data indicates that Gen Z shoppers prefer to shop in person and are discovering legacy brands on their own time. Their presence serves as a new contingent of loyal shoppers for each company, bolstering the population that prefers a genuine, in-store experience. These younger crowds also greatly appreciate how brands invest heavily in omnichannel tools like gamified apps, online shopping, and in-store pickup, each of which increases engagement. 

“[Omnichannel] is providing an opportunity for some of the legacy retailers to reinvent themselves, add digital maturity, but maintain some of the core brand experiences that they’ve had and do well in and bring them back,” Kassi Socha, director analyst at Gartner, told Modern Retail.

Here’s a look at three legacy retail brands that demonstrate their staying power by constantly evolving throughout the marketplace. 

Denim Done Right: The Legacy of Levi’s

The name Levi’s is instantly associated with denim, and for good reason. Levi Strauss & Co. was first established in 1853 and established an empire built on jeans. In addition to their fascinating backstory, Levi’s is making waves in the present day by fusing digital shopping with traditional brick-and-mortar methods. In their NextGen Indigo stores, options include modern fitting rooms, LED in-store displays, and customization, alterations, and restoration services in the Tailor Shops. Each of these things is impossible to do digitally, so it brings constant foot traffic into the stores.

“Our stores aren’t just places to buy jeans; they are environments where customers can fully engage with everything Levi’s represents,” said Daniel Ho, director of brand experience for East Asia Pacific at Levi Strauss & Co. in an interview with Marketing-Interactive. 

In September 2024, Levi’s rolled out a new mobile app called BackPocket for its in-store stylists to provide shoppers with personalized recommendations and fashion advice. It allows stylists to sync to a customer’s Red Tab loyalty account and obtain a view of their data, such as previous purchases, style preferences, sizing, and saved products, to offer more personalized recommendations. A special “retail exclusive” badge identifies products available only in stores, and app enhancements like digital return and exchange functionality and a digital lookbook help stylists with fitting and sizing customers.

“Every interaction with a customer, regardless of channel, is an opportunity to build loyalty and distinguish ourselves from the competition,” Levi’s chief digital officer Jason Gowans said in a corporate blog post. “We must create impactful and meaningful experiences at every touchpoint, every time.”

The initiatives appear to be working, seeing as Levi Strauss & Co. said its third-quarter net income was $21 million, a 110% increase from a year prior.

Boho Chic Bonanza: Anthropologie’s Story

A hub for all things “boho chic,” Anthropologie is seeing visits to its stores soar over pre-pandemic levels, according to data from Placer.ai. It’s no wonder so many customers see the store as their “happy place.” The chain boasts a loyal following among women aged 30-45, which “demonstrates that retailers can maintain pricing power while driving store visits – a crucial advantage in today’s promotional environment,” according to Fashion United.)

One key to their recent success is their pop-ups, which “function as a feedback loop with its loyal customer base, reflecting and amplifying key consumer trends.” 

For Anthropologie’s Holiday House pop-up in October 2023, the brand partnered with Pinterest to transform a historic Brooklyn brownstone with six curated holiday concepts and a series of events. The results were strong, with all 750 available appointments booked within 24 hours, more than 40 styling appointments conducted, and more than 550 million impressions generated online. 

A Retail Redemption Story: Bed Bath & Beyond

Once a titan of housewares, all Bed Bath & Beyond stores closed in 2023 and its name was adopted by Overstock.com. But there’s interesting things in the pipeline for the famous brand. Kirkland’s, an American retail brand that sells home decor and furniture and operates 317 stores in 35 states, has finalized its $25 million investment from Beyond, the parent company of Bed, Bath & Beyond, Overstock, and Zulily. It will become Beyond’s exclusive brick-and-mortar operator and licensee for new, smaller-format “neighborhood” Bed Bath & Beyond locations nationwide. With the first Bed Bath & Beyond store expected to open later this year, it’s a bold attempt for the brand’s big return. But for many of us who greatly relied on the brand, it’s a potential win.

At its height, Bed Bath & Beyond had more than 1,000 stores nationwide. When the deal was first announced in October, the companies said they would leverage Kirkland’s store operations expertise and its brick-and-mortar footprint to curate an “assortment of iconic legacy vendor partners.” This demonstrates how significantly BBB’s legacy footprint remains. 

Clearly, the Kirkland’s team agrees. Amy Sullivan, Kirkland’s Inc. CEO, said in a statement at the time that “Kirkland’s Home has a 58-year legacy in the home decor sector, and the core strength of our brand and this organization lies in merchandising and store operations.” They also noted their intention to leverage BBB’s expertise and partnerships to enhance site experience and improve conversion, demonstrating an omni-channel perspective. 

From the denim legacy of Levi’s to the potential to bring Bed Bath and Beyond back from the brink, legacy brands have the potential to successfully fuse with new developments in the retail world. 

A symbiotic relationship, legacy brands pack the power of nostalgia and decades of experience. However, they can also capitalize on an omnichannel perspective that’s necessary to thrive in today’s retail environment. 

As the three brands we previously discussed demonstrate, it’s absolutely essential to develop a strategic plan to navigate the changing landscape of retail life. For legacy brands looking to secure their footing in the future, the time to plan is now.